Optimizing Coping and Stress Management Skills for Patients and Caregivers
Presented by Gail Sims
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Non-Financial: Gail Sims is a member of the Association of Rehabilitation Nursing and has no competing non-financial interests or relationships with regard to the content presented in this course.
This course is part of our CRRN® Prep-Program. Learn more about the full prep-program here: MedBridge CRRN® Prep-Program.
Effective coping strategies and stress management are essential survival skills for patients and their caregivers. The rehabilitation nurse must assess each individual’s ability to cope with catastrophic changes, access resources to facilitate effective coping strategies, and evaluate the impact of accessing resources. The pathophysiology of the stress response, strategies theories of coping, adjustment and self-management, and stages of grief and loss will be reviewed. Strategies for stress reduction and positive coping in rehabilitation situations will be evaluated using the nursing process.
CRRN® is a registered trademark of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.
Meet your instructor
Gail Sims
Gail Sims serves as a Patient Care Coordinator at Kaiser Permanente in Roseville, CA. She served as the Director of Nursing at Kaiser Foundation Rehabilitation Center in Vallejo, CA for 8 years. She has also been a nurse surveyor for the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities for the past 11 years.…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Physiology of the Stress Response
The first chapter will examine the physiology of the stress response. Ways in which people cope with stress during catastrophic illness and injury will also be discussed.
2. Stages of Coping and Adjustment to Loss
In this chapter, theories of coping, adjustment to change, and stages of grief and loss are explored as they relate to rehabilitation nursing. Various change theories will be explained using examples in clinical practice. Coping theories will be explored, as well as a brief overview of grief and loss as they help to clarify the relevance of the process patients navigate through on the road to recovery.
3. Assessment of Coping Skills and Stress Management Techniques
This chapter will outline methods to assess coping skills and stress management abilities in patients recovering from catastrophic events in their lives, and in the caregivers who are supporting their recovery. Techniques will be illustrated for effectively assessing a patient’s coping and stress management skills. These examples will be presented in relation to culturally sensitive care provided to a very diverse population.
4. Implementing Strategies for Reducing Stress and Improving Coping
By providing education and encouragement, rehabilitation nurses will be strong advocates and effective change agents in facilitating positive coping and stress management in the lives of persons they serve. In this chapter, a variety of strategies to reduce stress and incorporate healthy coping mechanisms into the routine care of persons with disabilities and their caregivers will be presented.